Blind Rage Syndrome
by leatherknight
Summary: While on patrol, Athena and her partner make a grisly discovery that impacts close to home.


Monday, January 10th, 2000. 11:06 PM

Battlestar Galactica

Blind Rage Syndrome

Story four

of the

__

Black

Raptor

Series

By

Mike Newby

Based on the characters created

By

Glen A. Larson

She coasted through the void with a rumble from her massive drive tails. A beautiful vessel that seemed to wear the myriad of patches and scorches like proud badges of honor. Tokens of the countless battles she had endured.

The Battlestar Galactica was the last of her kind. She was as much a vessel of travel as she was a living thing. Always changing, evolving, growing to accommodate the humans who dwelt within her steel body.

From the long narrow launch bays, plumes of white fire burst from the sides and out the front of the ship, the tiny fighters speeding out from her like fledgling birds freshly released from the nest.

Most of the tiny craft shone silver in the starlight, their three engines pushing them forward into the void.

The others were twin engine craft, slightly larger, with extended canopies to accommodate two persons. These were black as obsidian, the starlight streaming over their smooth skins like rays of countless shooting stars.

Once again, Blue Squadron, and the newest elite strike wing, the Black Raptors hurtled into space. Their mission, to seek the hazards of the unknown depths ahead, and warn the Galactica of impending hazards.

On the bridge, Adama stood at the command center, his silvery hair shining in the subdued light. Beside him was Colonel Tigh, his coffee colored skin shining slightly in the light, both men stood proud in their blue uniforms, the silver trim glinting in the light.

On the other side of them stood a third man, perhaps only a dozen yahrens younger than the commander.

Though his rank allowed the resplendent blue uniform, Colonel Jodas opted for his same brown combat uniform. His lined face twitched slightly as he watched the Black Raptors vanish in the distance.

"all patrols launched commander," said Tigh from his station.

"You've done extremely well with the new squadron," said Adama, turning to face Colonel Jodas. "The Black Raptors have performed above and beyond all expectations."

Jodas shrugged off the praise, his eyes still fixed on the blips that indicated his "children."

"They've done all the work, Commander," said Jodas. "I just bark at them on occasion."

Adama's eyebrows rose slightly. He had always been amused by the hard nails warrior's inability to accept warranted praise.

"How is the new batch coming along?" Adama continued.

"Fine," said Jodas quickly. "The Grey Talons should be ready to hit the trainers in a few sectons, give or take."

Adama nodded, his eyes flicking back between the deepening creases in Jodas's leathery face, and the blips on the scanner.

"You want to be out there with them, don't you?" asked Adama.

"Damned right, I do," said Jodas. "Ever since you let me fly one of the prototypes, I've had an urge to get out there and light it up."

Adama understood the man's desire. Jodas's son, Michas, had died at the onset of the Raptor project. What was worse, he had died saving the life of his passenger, Athena.

Before the flight, Michas had confided in his father and mother about his secret feelings for Athena. However, it had taken his dying breath before he could utter those things to her on his own.

Adama understood, all too well, the feelings of loss that came with the tragedy. Jodas's loss paralleled his own in so many ways.

Both had been killed in ambushes, both had been on firsts. Zac, on his first patrol, hi daughter in law, ambushed by Cylons on the planet Kobol, and Jodas's son, Michas, in the first flight of the prototype Raptor.

"It is more important that you pass on the knowledge and experience you have to the newer pilots, Colonel," Adama said, choosing his words carefully.

Jodas nodded, his gaze still on the scanner as the blips vanished from the edge.

"I just worry about them," he said.

"As do I, Colonel," said Adama sympathetically. "As do I."

Jodas sighed.

"Well, they're away," he stated the obvious, then he glanced at his chrono. "I have a class beginning in half a centar. By your leave, Commander?"

Adama nodded, and Colonel Jodas stepped from the bridge, heading towards the training section, and another session in which he taught and terrorized at the same time.

"You know," said Duce as he glanced over to his right at Athena's Raptor. His steel blue eyes flashed with challenge. "I heard a couple of tech guys talking the other day."

"And?" asked Athena as she glanced down at her controls to confirm their heading.

"Well," said Duce, grinning now. "They were talking about the fact that no one had been able to pull a ten gee turn in one of these things."

Athena's RO, or Recon Officer, looked up from his readouts toward the obsidian ship flying next to them. Stray locks of sandy brown hair falling from the inside of his helmet.

"So?" he asked.

Bakki, Duce's Ro smiled.

"We were just wondering if the two of you wanted a chance to make history?" He offered.

"Are these things rated for ten?" asked Athena.

"According to the specs," said Duce. "A lot of people have tried, but no one's done it yet. Game?"

Subin looked from their partner ship, back up towards Athena. He could see the look in her eyes, reflected in the clear canopy. That almost feline smile creeping across her lips.

"Oh, man," Subin said, and he reached up to grasp the flight handles that protruded from the back of Athena's seat. He felt his stomach tighten in anticipation.

Athena glanced over at Duce and nodded.

"You first, Ducey," she offered.

"I thought you'd never ask," said Duce. "Watch this."

Duce's Raptor climbed sharply and then dove away, building up speed as its twin turbos roared to life spewing long columns of white flame. The ship straightened for a micron and then pitched over, arcing back in a tight turn, turbos still blazing away wildly.

Over the com, Athena could hear Duce's voice, tight with the pressure of his ship's movements.

The turbos disengaged and Duce pulled back up alongside Athena.

"What's your score?" asked Athena expectantly.

When Duce failed to answer, Bakki answered for him.

"Nine point nine six," he said grumpily.

Athena laughed out loud. "Not bad boys!" She congratulated.

"Yeah, yeah," Duce muttered. "Let's see you beat it!"

Athena checked her instruments one more time.

"Okay you two," she said. "Give me some room to work."

Duce pulled slowly away, giving Athena a wide berth.

"Okay boss," Duce called. "You're clear."

Athena's head dropped slightly and her eyes narrowed.

"And on Subin," she cautioned.

"No kiddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-!" he never finished his retort as Athena's ship leapt forward. She pushed the turbos for every ounce of power that she could get and watched as the speed indicator climbed. Then, she suddenly banked the Raptor around, Her finger fighting against the growing gee forces, and staying planted on the turbo button, She felt the crushing weight press down against her like a slab of stone. The flesh of her face actually began to ripple, like cloth in a summer breeze, still she would not stop. 

Her eyes felt as if they were about to burst into her brain. She forced herself to blink and focus on the climbing indicator.

"Come on," she growled, her voice sounding tight and lower in the forced air of the cockpit.

The indicator continued to climb.

9.0 - 9.3 - 9.5 - 9.6

She was tied with Duce!

9.7 - 9.8…

The Raptor was screaming in fury as its energy was released. She heard it in her ears like a battle cry, echoing through her mind.

"Come on!"

9.9

"Come on!" she bellowed, feeling the dizzying effects of the pressure. If she didn't do it in the next few microns, she would black out.

9.95 - 9.96 - 9.97 …

There was a mild thump, and the ship shook slightly as the indicator seemed to bounce.

Alarms wailed in the cockpit as she looked down at the readout.

10.03

She cut the turbos and steadied out a howl of exhilaration bursting from her throat.

"We did it!" she announced.

"You're lying!" said Duce, amazement in his voice.

"Lords, I wish she was, Duce," said Subin, his voice weak and faint.

"If I'm lying," Athena pronounced. "Then I'm dying!"

"Frack!" said Duce. He had been hoping to crack the record. Beaten again by Athena. It was becoming a regular occurrence in the fleet. The commander's daughter had climbed back into the cockpit with an unholy vengeance after she had survived the crash of the first prototype Raptor.

"Hey people," said Subin. "I have a whole mess of debris about a quarter hectar away, bearing two two seven, mark three."

"Can you identify it?" asked Athena.

"Got it too," came Bakki's voice. "Metallic debris. No ID tags or transponders. Looks like the remains of a battle."

"Fleet's gonna be heading through this sector," said Duce. "Should we check it out?"

Athena thought for a micron and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

The two Raptors rolled smoothly and headed off in the new direction.

"Closing on the target area," Subin announced a few centons later. "Better slow up boss. There's an awful lot of it out here."

The two Raptors coasted down to a slower speed as they entered a massive field of twisted debris.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Athena asked.

"What?" Asked Subin. "Boss? Because you are my boss, boss." Subin smiled.

Athena shook her head and smiled. Then she activated the flight recorders, scanning the debris field for analysis when they returned to the Galactica.

"Uh, Athena," came Duce's haunted voice. "Over there, off to port. Is that what I think it is?"

Athena glanced over and her entire body went numb with cold horror.

Floating amidst the debris were the dark, twisted remains of another Battlestar!

It was blackened and burned in thousands of places, the outer skin scored by countless laser hits. One landing bay and nearly the entire aft engine section were blasted away. It hung, twisting slowly in the blackness like a body floating in the water. No lights illuminated from the hulk. Beyond it, was the bulk of another Battlestar, and beyond that, the forward section of a third. also broken and blasted.

"Good lord," Athena whispered. Her eyes took in the debris around them, now forming into recognizable parts. Ancient colonial fighters and other ships floated in their macabre dance. Hundreds of pieces of hull and engines, cockpit canopies and wings, thousands of tiny components that may have been engine pieces blasted away in what had to have been a monstrous and brutal assault. Smaller bits of debris bounced harmlessly off their shields, causing faint blue coronas of energy.

Her eyes fell back on the largest wreck, still hanging limp in space.

"Let's try and ID that ship," she ordered.

"Right with you," said Duce. The two Raptors turned slowly, heading for the massive steel corpse.

As they closed on the ship, they could make out more of the details in the damage. Bulkheads and plates had been peeled away and burned to reveal the explosion torn interior. Large bits of cabling, conduit, and support structure groped out from where the landing bay would have been mounted. They looked like shreds of flesh, with the limb torn away. The corridors beyond were blackened and twisted, some with hatches open to reveal the cold sterile vacuum of space within.

"Are we getting all of this?" asked Athena, a lump in her throat.

"Yeah, Boss," said Subin. "We're getting it all." The dread in his voice was unmistakable.

The two black ships coasted over the torn wreck, revealing the chaos and destruction of the drive tail. Within she could see one of the massive solium storage tanks, still intact.

Then, around the back of the ship, the dark gaping maw of the remaining, ruined landing bay.

"Life signs?" Athena asked.

After a few microns, Subin replied, "Hope you weren't expecting any. Nothing."

"Duce," Athena said quickly. "Hold position here, I'm gonna take my ship into the landing bay."

"Gonna do what?" asked Duce. "Have you gone off?"

"The ship is dead, that means no power to artificial gravity. I can coast in, and coast back out again without too much trouble. I want to look inside there."

"It's your call Athena," said Duce. "But I want it known for the record that I don't like it."

"Understood," said Athena. "Keep your eyes peeled."

Athena turned and maneuvered her ship even with the open end of the bay. The floodlights on the front of the ship exploded to blinding white life, and she edged her ship into the cavernous opening.

"What are you looking for?" asked a nervous Subin.

"I don't know," Athena admitted. "I'm just following my gut."

The ship hovered in the center space of the long narrow bay. Athena checked her spacing as she slowly maneuvered the ship down the long dark bay. All about them were the remains of total chaos, several ships still sat on their launch platforms. They were ancient, modified and smaller versions of the Vipers that the Galactica carried. She also saw bodies. Human bodies, frozen in their last moments and perfectly preserved in the cold vacuum of space. She saw the orange tech uniforms, several navy blue clad officers and more warriors wearing their combat uniforms. The uniforms were identical with one major difference. The combat jackets were a deep crimson instead of the usual dark brown. Many of the faces were frozen in expressions of horror as their lives were sucked from their bodies.

"How you doing in their Athena?" came Duce's voice. She started at the sound, her heart racing.

Calming the quaver in her voice, she keyed the mic.

"Lots of debris and bodies in here, Duce. Everything, just the way it was left when it happened." She shivered as a chill flowed down her spine. "Head forward to the front of the bay and get the name plate on your scanner."

"Already there," Duce answered. "It's pretty scorched up, but Bakki's running an enhancement on it now. We should have the name by the time we get back to the fleet."

"Right," said Athena, forcing herself to continue their grisly trip. "We're nearly through the bay. Lot's of blast and fire damage in here. There was no away they were gonna launch another ship, even before they…" her voice trailed off as she spied one of the remaining fighters still perched on the launch platform. Within, she could see the ancient colonial flight helmet, the crimson shoulder of the jacket, slumped against the transparent surface of the canopy.

She gave a slight squeal as another body, bumped against the wing of her ship.

Subin instinctively reached out, his hands brushing against the transparent surface of the canopy. There was a spark, painful as a blue flash passed into him. It was a fire that burned itself out nearly as quickly as he was aware of it.

"Athena!" Duce called urgently. "You okay? Athena!"

"Yeah," said Athena as she forced her racing heart back into her chest. "Yeah, we're okay. We're coming out."

The Black ship emerged from the bay, its bright floodlights announcing its arrival. Athena killed the lights once she was clear of the ship. She looked up along the ruined hull and spied another corpse, hunched over the controls of a blown out turret, the shoulders still firmly strapped into the gunnery seat. The dead man's eyes still shone a dull blue, as if he were staring right at her.

"Let's get the hell out of here, Duce," she said.

"Right with you on that one," said Duce earnestly.

The two ships powered up and navigated the precarious route away from the battle.

Adama stood at the command station, his thumb and forefinger absently stroking his chin as he stared at the scope.

"Patrol status please," he asked.

"Patrol seven is still out of range, Commander." Flight officer Omega announced.

"Have we received any communications from them?" Adama persisted. "Anything at all?"

"I'm afraid not, sir," Omega said grimly.

"They may have found something," Colonel Tigh suggested as he stepped up onto the platform. "They still have plenty of fuel to make it back to us."

Adama nodded. He turned to say something when Colonel Jodas walked into the bridge, his eyes filled with concern.

"I understand we're short a patrol team," he said.

"Athena and Duce," said Adama. "They're two centars overdue for return."

Jodas stared at the flight timer on the scanner screen and nodded.

"My people are trained to be punctual, Commander. The only thing that would keep them from returning on time would be a major find, or…" he trailed off.

"Permission to take a team out and find them, sir," he offered.

Adama shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, Colonel. But I need you here."

"Sir," Jodas began, but Adama turned to face him.

"You're the only qualified trainer for those ships, Colonel," Adama said earnestly. "We can't risk such a valuable asset."

"I have them Commander!" Omega announced with relief flooding his voice. "Quadrant Alpha six. Receiving both marker beacons loud and clear."

Jodas stepped to the com switch and keyed the frequency.

"Lieutenant!" He barked angrily. "You are two centars past your return time! I think you better explain that!"

"Sorry about that, Colonel," Came Athena's prompt reply. "I'd rather not say over the open channel. I will tell you this, though. Peledon." She keyed off the mic.

Adama, Tigh and Jodas all felt their brows furrowing at the same time.

"Peledon?" asked Adama.

"That's what she said, Commander," said Tigh. "Omega? Does that mean anything to you?"

Omega shook his head slowly, his hand falling back helplessly on his console.

"Colonel Tigh, get that team on board as quickly as possible, and have those people report to my ready office as soon as they're on board." He turned to Jodas. "Will you accompany me, Colonel?"

"Yes, sir," Jodas nodded, and the two men stepped from the platform heading out of the bridge.

Athena, Duce, Subin, and Bakki watched the scanner play back on the monitor, standing just behind Colonel Jodas and the Commander. As the telemetry showed their departure from the battle site, Adama switched the monitor off.

"The Peledon, Herion, and the Cynerro," Adama said as if to himself.

"Those were the only wrecks we could identify," said Subin. "The rest were…" He shrugged.

"Commander," said Bakki. "Whatever hit that fleet, it wasn't Cylons. We found no Cylon wreckage at the site."

"For the Cylons to have pushed out this far ahead of us is nearly impossible," said Adama as he shook his head. He looked at Colonel Jodas, and then at the warriors in the room.

"We should reach the site of the battle in about two days at our present speed," Adama continued. "Colonel, have your Raptors ready to go. I will want a thorough reconnaissance of the area when we arrive."

Athena recognized the look in her father eyes.

"What are you planning, father?" she asked.

Adama stared at the still image of the broken Battlestar. "At the very least, we should tend to the fallen. Beyond that, we may be able to collect the debris and increase our stock of raw materials to maintain the fleet." 

"You mean, cannibalize the derelicts?" Asked Jodas.

"Or possibly rebuild one of the ships," Adama finished. "Two Battlestars would be better than one in any future engagements."

"Uh, begging your pardon, Commander," said Subin. "But it looked like there was a complete battle fleet there. If that was the case, and three or four of the ships were destroyed…." He trailed off.

Adama nodded. "Thank you for your report, and for bringing back these scans. I will have to meet with the senior officers of several ships and discuss options. Dismissed."

The four pilots filed out of the room.

"Colonel," said Adama, looking up at Jodas as he seated himself behind the desk. "I want you to get the Grey Talons ready for flight as quickly as possible."

"Understood, Commander," said Jodas. "By your leave?"

Adama nodded and the Colonel strode out of the room. Once he was gone, Adama sat alone in thought for a while, then he activated his computer terminal. He instructed the computer to do a historical search using the key words Peledon, Herion, Cynerro. Then he sat back and waited.

Athena and Subin entered the officers club, quickly grabbing two stools at the bar. They ordered their drinks and sat in silence for a few microns. Subin watched his partner for a short time, studying her profile. Finally he nodded.

"Okay, boss," he said. "Out with it."

Athena stared up at him. "With what?"

Subin smiled. "I've been hanging with you for long enough to know when you've got something on your mind, and I can see the wheels turning right now, so spill it." He gestured towards her.

Athena shrugged. "I just keep thinking about all those people," she said, suppressing a shudder. "All those faces. All dead."

Subin nodded. "And?"

Athena took a drink. "I'm just wondering if there is anything like that hanging over the colonies? Broken ships with the dead still inside, unattended. How long before someone else flies through our old system and finds them?"

Subin nodded. "It's terrible, I know." HE looked thoughtful for a micron. "I realized that there was really nowhere to run. Whether it was the Cylons, old age, and accident, or something we haven't seen yet. Eventually we'll all end up floating somewhere."

"I also started thinking about Michas again," Athena confessed.

Subin nodded in understanding. Everyone in the black Raptors knew about the tragedy behind Athena and Michas's first flight in the prototype Raptor. Michas had been attracted to Athena for quite a long time, but had never pursued her. He had seen Athena's pursuit of Lt. Starbuck, and had decided that she would not have been interested in him.

After the prototype Raptor had been shot down, and Athena ejected from the crippled ship, she had found Michas in the wreckage, and in his dying words, had admitted his feelings. Then he had died in her arms.

The resulting anger and realization at her own stubbornness had propelled her into the ranks of the Black raptors with a vengeance. She had qualified by beating Starbuck in a simulated dogfight.

Everyone, including Subin knew that Michas still played a big part in what she did. He was the underlying ghost that fueled her.

"Now I'm nervous," Subin said, trying to lighten the mood.

Athena looked up at him, and he saw how radiant she was. Quickly, he shoved the flooding possibilities aside.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"Because, whenever you start thinking about Michas, we end up doing something off the wall, like breaking ten gees or tackling a Cylon Base Star."

"But we always come home," Athena finished.

"I'll drink to that," said Subin, and they clinked mugs.

He took a long drink, and then set the mug quickly down as his other had rose to his forehead.

"Hey," Athena asked, suddenly concerned. "You alright?"

Subin felt the flash of pain race through him, and then it was gone. He caught his breath and managed a shaky smile.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm fine now. Just drank a little too fast there." He slowly got to his feet and headed for the door.

"I'm gonna go and lay down for a while and see if I can kick this thing. I'll see you back in the billet room?"

"I'll be back in a few centons." Said Athena. "Take it easy, okay?"

Subin gave her a half salute and a reassuring smile, and then he wheeled around, heading for the exit.

He nearly crashed into Duce and Bakki as they entered the room.

Both men watched the departure of the young officer and then came around the bar, shaking their heads.

"Been hitting the ale kind of hard tonight, Athena?" asked Duce as he and his partner settled onto the cushions.

Athena shrugged. "That was our first one," she said. "I guess he just isn't feeling a hundred percent?"

"I'm not surprised," said Bakki. "With the amount of punishment that you put him and your ship through, I'm surprised that both still function."

Duce and Athena joined him in his grin before all three of them gave a soft laugh.

"Seriously," Athena continued, her brows furrowing now. "I've never seen that before. He can usually polish off five or six and still be coherent. He didn't even finish that one?"

Duce reached over and grabbed Subin's mug, ostensibly to see how much of his drink the young lieutenant had finished. He jerked his hand back when he received a nasty static electrical jolt.

"What in blazes?" he asked, shaking the tingle from his fingers. It vanished in microns, leaving only a dull throb in his fingertips.

"You okay?" asked Athena, a smile creeping across her face.

"Yeah," Duce replied defensively. "Just got a little jolt, that's all."

The three of them stayed there for nearly a centar, laughing and exchanging small talk before Duce announced that he had had enough, and also retired to the billet room.

The evening wound down slowly as the members of the squadron retired to their bunks for the night.

The sign over the door read:

**__**

Battlestar Galactica

Black Raptor Squadron

Where the difficult is easy,

The impossible will just take five more centons.

Athena had always found that sign apt as both a personal charter, and a center for humorous debate among the pilots. She smiled to herself and went over to her bunk, somewhat surprised to find Subin missing. His bed was neatly made, which told her it had not been occupied since his departure.

A quiet alarm bell began ringing in the back of her mind and she glanced over at Duce and Bakki's bunk.

On the top bunk, Bakki snored blissfully as he slept, but Duce's was like Subin's empty and unused.

"That's odd," she thought. Shrugging off the twinge in her gut, she slid under the sheets and slowly drifted off to sleep. The two errant warriors would be back at some time.

The walls were closing in around them as the two warriors half walked, half-stumbled down the corridor. Both of them fought the incessant buzzing that grew in their heads.

Duce paused for a micron, his hand reaching to the wall to steady himself. A blue spark of energy flashed between his hand and the wall as he teetered back and forth.

Subin fell backwards against the wall and slid to the floor, his head pounding as if it would burst.

He clamped his hands over his ears, his face a mask of pain.

"I don't know what it is!" Subin groaned. "It won't stop!"

Duce opened his eyes, the dim bulbs of ships night stinging his eyes and increasing the throbbing in his head.

The walls around them seemed to be breathing, like a living thing, closing in all around them.

Duce bent at the waist, doubling over to hide his face from the lights, his entire body wracked in torment.

"I gotta get outta here," he growled. He turned and half-stumbled to the launch bay.

Subin rolled over and staggered to his feet.

"Where..?" he couldn't even finish. His mind was on fire.

"Off," said Duce. "Got to get off this ship. Too close….too close."

Subin stumbled after him, heading towards the launching bay.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen," said the tech as he spied the two warriors as they approached him.

"Launch bay is shut down for the night."

"We know," one of the men growled. "Out of our way."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the ground tech replied evenly. He was a big, burly man, standing over the two warriors. "Not without clearance."

Suddenly, one of them grabbed him by the lapels of his coat and hurled him across the room, snapping his back against a support pillar.

The two warriors moved on, heading towards their dark and waiting ship.

Another tech witnessed the grisly attack and ran for the telecomm.

"Bridge!" he called over the speaker. "Warriors in the launch bay, they're - " His voice was cut off by fire, and the unmistakable sound of a laser pistol going off. He also fell to the floor, smoke hissing from the burnt hole in his back.

Athena sat bolt upright in bed, her heart racing. The alarm bells in the back of her mind were now a full-blown claxon. She rolled out of bed and stepped quickly over to Bakki.

"Hey," she whispered. He rolled over and opened his eyes. His weariness fading instantly when he saw the anxiety in her gaze.

"What's up?" He whispered.

"I don't know," said Athena urgently. "But they're not back yet, and something's wrong. We need to find them."

"Okay," said Bakki. He dropped to the floor and grabbed his jacket. "Let's go."

On the bridge, Commander Adama, Colonel Tigh, and as was becoming usual, Colonel Jodas all stood, rooted in mute horror at the cry from the landing bay. One moment, they were awaiting the return of several patrol ships, the next, chaos had begin to erupt.

The voice announced two warriors in the launch bay, and then was cut off by a gurgling choke as the line fell to static. In the background, they could hear the sound of engines beginning to wind up for takeoff.

Omega confirmed it.

"Commander, a lone Raptor has just cleared the bay?"

"What in Hades is going on?" asked Jodas.

"It looks like we've just been robbed," said Jodas, his voice dropping to a growl.

"Have they gone insane?" asked Colonel Tigh.

Jodas didn't answer. He ran from the station and disappeared into the corridor. Stopping at a telecomm, he dialed Captain Baaton's quarters.

"Get to the launch bay!" he ordered. "I'll explain later!"

Then he hung up and continued down the corridor.

He nearly bowled through Athena and Bakki as they came around a junction in the hall.

"What's going on?" Jodas demanded.

"Duce and Subin," Athena said. "They left us about three centars ago, told us they were heading back to the billet room. But they never made it."

"Looks like Duce and Subin just stole one of the Raptors and high tailed it out of here." Jodas said. He looked at the two warriors. "Come on!"

Baaton was waiting for Jodas when he, Athena, and Bakki stepped off the lift.

"I got down here as quick as I could," said Baaton, his black eyes darting nervously between his partner and the two younger warriors. "So what's up?"

In the blackness of the void, Duce felt alive. The fire in his mind drove him on, fueling his entire being. He could feel the universe as it flowed around him, subject to his every whim.

A voice broke in through the com.

"Raptor nine," this is Silver-Spar patrol three. We have been ordered to escort you back to the Galactica. Alter your course and prepare for escort.

"I got your escort right here," Growled Duce as he activated the attack computer and brought the weapons online.

Subin squinted down at the readout monitors in front of him. They blinded him, making his head pound with relentless agony. With one hand shading his eyes, he began shutting off all the monitors. This meant shutting off the adjoining systems, and that meant the Raptor soon went dark and vanished from the Viper's screens.

A few centons later, Duce swept in behind the two returning Vipers and blasted them from the sky.

His laugh was loud, deep and maniacal as he wheeled his ship over, spiraling through the spreading debris and flames.

"I am the best," he said to himself. Then louder, as if to the vacuum around him.

"I AM THE BEST!"

Behind him, Subin laughed out loud in insane exhilaration.

"They did what?" asked Adama in cold horror.

"Destroyed both Silver-Spar Vipers," said Omega.

"They have gone insane," said Tigh, his voice tight with fear and fury.

"Sir," said Omega. "Two more Raptors requesting permission to launch and pursue Raptor nine?"

"Who?" asked Adama.

Omega spoke quickly into the com and then looked back up at the Commander.

"Lieutenant Athena, and Colonel Jodas, Commander," said Omega.

Adama shook his head.

"No. Tell them to hold position." He turned back to the console and looked at Tigh. "Scramble the squadrons to read status. Have them - "

"Two more ships launching, Commander." Omega reported again. "Raptor seven and Prototype Raptor three."

"I told them to hold!" Adama said angrily. He watched as the two Raptors shot out of the bay.

"Commander," Tigh reported. "We just got the telemetry report from the scans Athena did on those wrecks, as well as an I.D. on the wrecks. The Peledon was the flagship for the lost 6th Fleet."

"The one that sent the final signal about some sort of epidemic?" Adama asked, wracking his brain to remember the bit of history.

Colonel Tigh nodded. "The Peledon was the latest and most advanced Battlestar ever built. Unfortunately, one of her crew members picked up some type of virus at one of her first stops. It was passed to a number of the crew while dormant, but flared up and began to drive the men and women crazy. They killed themselves out there. And I think Duce and Subin somehow managed to catch it."

Tigh looked down at the notes he carried. "There was one communication from The Herion prior to their vanishing. Apparently they had taken control of the bridge of the Peledon and then fearing that members of their own crews were carrying a virus that could kill us all, they forced the entire fleet towards deep space. Doctor Wilker and several other engineers studied the scans Athena and Subin brought back. The Peledon was destroyed by internal explosions."

Adama stood rigid, his mind reeling.

"Adama," Tigh said grasping the Commanders arm. "They killed each other!"

Adama nodded. "I want anyone who has been in contact with Duce and Subin placed under strict quarantine. No external contact until we figure out what this is."

"Yes, sir." Said Tigh, avoiding the issue of Athena and Bakki. "I'll notify Doctor Salik at once."

"Uh," said Athena. "We did have clearance for this, right, Colonel?" 

"Never mind that for now." Jodas answered evasively. "Set course for the last position of the Silver-Spar patrol. We'll pick up Duce's trail from there."

"Roger," said Athena, and the two ships blasted out long plumes of flame as they leapt further into the darkness.

They reached the scene of the ambush a few centons later.

"Okay boys," said Jodas. His eyes were scanning the void in all directions. "Fire up those scanners. Looking high, looking low, find me a big chunk of hi tech stuff that's still ticking out there."

"I'm hunting, grandpa," said Baaton, as his fingers flew over the keys. "There's an awful lot of debris out there for them to hide in."

"Bakki," said Athena, her mind reeling. "Filter out all debris with a random spin or orbit."

"Working on it," said Bakki.

"What's on your mind, Lieutenant?" asked Jodas.

"Think about it, Colonel," said Athena. "If you go somewhere to hide, then what's the first thing you want to do?"

"Sit perfectly still, in the dark," said Jodas, nodding. "Very good Lieutenant." He leaned his head back towards Baaton. "Talk to me, partner."

"I'm lookin, I'm lookin," Baaton replied.

Jodas gave him several more microns before he sighed. "Okay," he ordered. Sweep forward. Take it nice and slow, people."

The two Raptors coasted into the edge of the debris field.

"I don't like this," said Bakki.

"Me neither," Athena replied, her eyes scanning the various spinning chunks of metal.

"Just stay cool, people," Jodas's voice was tight. "We know they're out her, and they know we're out here."

His eyes scanned the roiling chaos.

Suddenly he had a flash of inspiration.

"Hey Duce!" He called over an open channel. "I know you're out here. And I know you can hear me! Come on out and let's go home! Game's over!"

He thought for a moment, recalling Duce's maniacal call from earlier.

"You think you're proving anything by skulking about in the shadows? A good pilot would face his opponents in the open! That's what the best pilots do!" He watched carefully, knowing he was pushing buttons. "Far as I'm concerned, the two best pilots are right here! You got something to prove you little rat? Then get your astrums out here and prove it!"

The answer was immediate, and brutal.

Floodlights burst to life off to one side and Jodas saw the flare of turbos behind it. The black ship hurtled at the silver prototype with suicidal fury.

Jodas kicked the ship over and felt the shields absorb the impact, sending them spinning out of control.

Alarms wailed as he wrestled with the stick. Behind him, Baaton cursed elaborately.

"Get it back Grandpa!" He called out, practically begging. "Get it back!"

The alarms silenced as the ship settled back into normal flight. 

"Nice, Gramps!" said Baaton. "Very nice!"

Jodas hit the turbos and hurtled back up towards Athena.

Athena's ship was whipping away, making for the open space away from the debris field.

Jodas eyed the situation and keyed the private mic.

"He's coming at you hard, missy," he said. "He's gonna snap roll to his right and drop right behind your ass for the kill. Break left on my command."

Athena watched the sky around her as she sped away from the hazardous space. Meanwhile Bakki craned his neck to watch behind them, his head turning rapidly from side to side.

"There he is!" Bakki called out.

At precisely the same micron, Jodas yelled, "Break!"

Athena kicked the ship over and hit the turbos, diving away from the other ship.

Duce recovered from the maneuver quickly, dropping into a tight roll and falling back behind Athena.

"He's still back there!" Bakki announced. "Man is he steamed!"

"Hi, boss!" Came Subin's insanely friendly greeting.

Athena tuned him out, trying hard to remember that Subin was NOT behind her, watching her back.

"He's still back there!" Bakki Announced. Red lances of energy exploded around her ship.

Another voice, deep and filled with maniacal rage, drifted over the channel.

"Athena. I'm better than you. I've always been better than you. You can't even dream of beating me."

Duce.

"Oh yeah," said Athena. "Follow this!"

She cut the thrusters, and yanked the nose of the ship straight up, flipping them completely over until their tail section was directly in front of Duce's ship. Then she hit the turbos, the brilliant white flame, bursting like an eruption.

A fiery eruption that Duce flew right through.

Athena finished her wild flip, and came up behind and below Duce.

She could hear him bellowing in rage as his ship flew erratically. Her cross hairs lined up on Duce's ship.

She rested her fingers on the fire button and then froze, her eyes wide with shock.

"Take the shot!" Shouted Jodas.

Athena banked away, putting some distance between herself and Duce's ship.

Duce bellowed with rage as he fought to calm the fire in his brain and rid his sight from the blinding flash of Athena's backwash. His free hand waved impotently in front of his face. He looked around and spied her ship hurtling off in another direction.

Slamming both hands against the sides of the cockpit, he grabbed the controls and savagely whipped the ship around. He keyed his missile system on.

"You little bitch!" he bellowed, watching the targeting system lock on. "Try this!" He let loose the missile.

"Oh frack!" yelled Bakki. "We got a live one, homing on us! Get out of here!"

Athena arced around a large chunk of debris and suddenly felt her ship shudder as the missile exploded into the metallic mass, sending shrapnel tearing through her shields and into her ship. Panels arced and smoked, and the acrid scent of burnt electronics wafted through the cockpit.

"Bakki!" Athena cried out.

"We're in one piece!" Bakki announced. "Engines are good!" 

His fingers danced across the other working readouts.

"Frack! He took out our laser generator!" Bakki cried. "We can't shoot Athena! We can't shoot a damned thing!"

"You're mine, Athena!" Duce bellowed. "You're mine!"

The com crackled and Jodas's voice rang through.

"Take heading three three seven, mark six." He ordered. "Bring him to us!"

Athena rolled her ship away, with Bakki watching his partner, closing in for the kill.

"Here he comes!" He announced.

Jodas and Baaton watched the two ships hurtling towards them.

"Kill the warheads on the missiles," ordered Jodas. "I wanna shave that little snitrad so we can take him home."

"You got it Grandpa," said Baaton, as he entered the commands.

"Take the fire controls, partner," said Jodas. "You were always better at this than I was."

"Just do the flying, Grandpa," said Baaton. "I got ya!"

Jodas sent his ship on a reckless dive towards the two combatants.

"One shot partner," Jodas ordered. "I don't want to lose these kids!"

"Targeting." Baaton said.

"Okay," said Jodas, his cheek muscles twitching. "Here they come. Closing…..closing….closing….almost there. Look for the sweet spot…look for the sweet spot!"

The targeting system wailed.

"Shoot him in the ass!"

Baaton kissed the air as he let the weapon fly.

Duce caught the glint of silver from the corner of his eye, and then he spied the tiny wisp of smoke. Missile!

He bellowed in rage and spun the ship wildly, letting loose with the ships entire arsenal.

The dud missile struck the Raptor squarely between the engines, blasting through electronics and components, effectively shattering the ship into useless, but intact metal.

"Look out!" Baaton cried out as the three missiles and barrage of laser fire streaked past them. One missile slammed into the left engine and wing, blasting large portions of it to rubble. Flames erupted from the ship's underside as the shields collapsed.

"No!" Athena cried out.

Jodas fought the ship back under some semblance of control.

"Baaton?" he called out.

"Still with ya, grandpa!" came the shaky reply.

Athena watched as the crippled and smoldering ship righted itself, turning lazily toward the Galactica.

"Colonel!" Athena shouted.

"I'm still here, miss," said Jodas. "Notify the Galactica to get a shuttle out here to get those two."

"No," came a weary voice that Athena immediately recognized.

"Subin?"

"No way to go home, boss," said Subin in a raspy voice. "Kill…all. Kill everything. They weren't…" He gasped. "Were…sick. Something…"

"Hang on Subin," Athena pleaded.

"Fly, boss," Subin said. "Fly…"

A bright light came from the center of the wounded Raptor, and it flared like a small star before exploding into a brilliant cloud of flaming gas.

The shock wave rocked Athena's ship as she fought back tears. She watched the debris scatter, blending into the chaos of the deserted battlefield.

"Colonel?" Athena called.

"Already limping home, miss," said Jodas, his voice tight. "Better scoot on ahead and let them know I'm coming home messy."

Athena banked her ship away and thundered toward the Galactica.

"Raptor seven to Galactica!" Athena called. "Colonel Jodas will be coming in hot! His ship is all shot up!"

"Understood Raptor seven," came Rigel's voice. "You are cleared for Beta Bay."

It had been almost ten yahrens since Jodas last had to land a crippled ship on a Battlestar. That thought kept playing through his mind as he and Baaton made their final approach toward the Galactica.

"Galactica Control," Jodas called. "This is Raptor fourteen, I am declaring an emergency. Have all rescue personnel standing by."

"Understood Raptor fourteen. The pattern has been cleared." Rigel repeated.

Jodas started dumping his excess fuel, fighting his sluggish controls.

"Here we go partner," he said to Baaton.

"Find us a soft spot, Grandpa," Baaton replied, bracing himself for the inevitable impact.

Athena stood at the edge of the landing quarter of the bay, with Bakki by her side and a host of other onlookers, most of them ground teams and rescue personnel.

They watched the silver ship as it wobbled in its final approach.

"Come on, come on," Athena whispered under her breath as if she would help land the ship by will alone. She visually watched as the ship lurched towards the bay.

"Nose up," she thought. "Keep it level. Power, power, power…"

Something went wrong and before the words "Waive off!" had even crossed her mind, the Raptor hit the deck, bounced once on its wing and began rolling over and over, smashing equipment, storage cells, support beams, sending debris scattering in a million different directions.

She screamed. Her voice drowned out by the cacophony of twisting and crashing metal.

The wreckage settled, and there was no burst of fire. Before anyone could stop them, Bakki and Athena were next to the canopy, wrenching it open.

Baaton's face was a mask of blood; his eyes squeezed shut in that final expression of fear, dead.

Athena pulled the canopy open and reached in to Colonel Jodas. He convulsed once and sat back, his face a mask of total agony.

"Baat!" he called out, as if on impulse.

"Dead," Bakki replied.

Jodas let his face drop as he cursed.

The med techs arrived and made ready to carry the wounded Colonel to the Life Station, once he was extricated from the wreckage.

Every movement of either himself or the ship around him brought a string of curses and bellows of rage.

They finally pulled him free, his legs hanging awkwardly in several places not associated with joints on the human body, obviously broken.

As they laid him on the stretcher, he gave a short bellow.

"Easy!" he chided the med tech. "You bust me up, mister, and I'll kick your astrums from here to the Celestra!"

"Yes, sir," the med tech replied.

Jodas closed his eyes, trying to remember through all the pain, that this brat was not one of his own people.

Athena moved beside the Colonel and took the old warriors hand.

"Colonel?" she asked, fighting back the tears.

"None of that," Jodas said quickly. "We did good out there today."

"We did?" she asked, confused.

"Damn right we did!" Jodas said fiercely. They began wheeling him away from her on the gurney, every slight bump or jostle bringing out a fresh wave of bellows and curses.

"We did damn good!" He shouted in between the curses. "Go back and read that sign in the billet room Lieutenant! Read it! And know it! You did damn good! That's what I expected from you! All heart and guts, flying like a wild comet and looking for all the glory of Caprica! Ow! Easy with me you snitrad! You did good missy! You did damn good!" 

His voice faded away as he was wheeled out of earshot, still sending back a mixture of praise and curses.

Athena actually gave a laugh through her tears and Bakki stood next to her, his arm coming to rest across her shoulders, shaking his head in amusement.

"He never quits," Bakki said.

"Nope," said Athena, still staring after him. "Kind of like someone else I used to know."

She looked up at Bakki. "Come on," she offered. "Let's go buy a few drinks."

Colonel Jodas sat in bed, in a back section of the life station, miserable.

"For cryin out loud, missy," he said to Cassiopeia. "You already put me back together. Let me out of this damned place!"

"Easy Colonel," Cassiopeia said, trying desperately to maintain her patience. "We got you back together, but you still need a few days to recuperate."

"Like hell," Jodas retorted.

"Excuse me?" Athena's voice came from behind them. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all," said Cassiopeia, pressing the aching Colonel back onto the bed. She stood up and backed away. Before she had turned, Jodas began moving again, to which Cassiopeia turned on him sharply and barked.

"Stay there!"

He froze, locking eyes with the fiery med tech, and then sullenly settled back into the bed.

"And do not move!" Cassiopeia finished with emphasis.

"Giving you trouble, is he?" asked Athena, a smile on her face.

"Every micron he can," Cassiopeia replied wearily. "Do me a favor. Stay with him for a while, and keep him here. I need a break."

"Sure," Athena laughed. She stepped over to Jodas's side.

"Did you buy the round?" Jodas asked sharply.

"Yes," Athena said softly. "Now relax, Colonel. Or I'll get Doctor Salek to watch you."

That seemed to strike a chord of fear in the old warrior, because he immediately stopped his fidgeting.

"Actually," she continued. "I came by to give you something."

She held out a thin leather folder.

Jodas looked at it, and then at her.

"Michas's writings?"

She nodded and placed them on the bed beside him.

"I don't think I'll be needing them any more," She said, and she pulled a stool up closer to the bed.

Jodas nodded. "Found the fire, did ya?"

Athena nodded. "Took a while, but I found it."

"Good." Jodas said. He took the folder and opened it, flipping briefly through the writings and then tossing them onto a nearby table.

"So, what brings you here to see me?" He continued.

Athena reached out and took the man's hand.

"I just wanted to talk, and see how you were feeling."

And talk they did, for a long, long time…

END


End file.
